A letter to Bruins fans, from Canucks writer

Throughout this action-packed seven game Stanley Cup Finals series, there was a lot more than just bodies being thrown around on the ice.

From Game 1, all the way to the Boston Bruins hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup last night inside the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, the Canucks decided to throw around some verbal jousting. Both teams entertained some with the off-, and on-ice trash-talking, tomfoolery, finger-pointing, and to a lesser extend, biting the opposition’s digits.

This series had it all. And to top it all off last night, after the Bruins 4-0 win, the city of Vancouver did itself no justice with their rioting acts in their very-own street.

With that being said, a colleague of mine, Daniel Fung, asked me to post this note to all Bruins fans, on behalf of the Canucks’ true hockey fans. Being a sincere voice of reason, Fung — who writes on canucks.nhl.com — had this to say to the city of Boston to help clear the air:

Dear Bruins fans,

Congratulations on your well-deserved Stanley Cup victory and for bringing the Cup back to Beantown for the first time in 39 years.

I know by now many of you have seen the images of the city of Vancouver following the Game 7 loss by the Canucks at Rogers Arena. I think it is crucial for Bruins fans, and the entire hockey world, to know that the actions of these few morons are not representative of what the people of Vancouver are like and are not representative of what Canucks fans are like.

If you want a good representation of Canucks fans, I urge you to watch a replay of the final moments of Game 7. True Canucks fans are the ones who cheered their team on as the final seconds ticked down and loudly chanted “Go Canucks Go” even after the the game was over. True Canucks fans are the ones who applauded when Tim Thomas was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy winner and cheered out of respect when Zdeno Chara lifted the Stanley Cup. (I’d also say true Canucks fans are the ones who mercilessly booed Gary Bettman but then again everyone does that right?)

Throughout this series I think we’ve seen a side of both fan bases that we aren’t very proud of. Prior to Game 6 there were videos circulating showing Bruins fans in Boston threatening physical violence towards Canucks fans and Vancouver media. And certainly, what we saw on Wednesday night was the city of Vancouver – a city that just 16 months earlier was lauded for throwing one of the greatest parties ever held at the 2010 Winter Olympics – receive a black eye that will take some time to heal. Just as it is unfair to suggest the actions of a few brazen punks represent the entire Bruins fan base, I hope Bruins fans realize that the actions of a select few – many of whom probably were not hockey fans in the first place and were in the downtown area to start a ruckus win or lose – do not accurately represent Vancouver or Canucks fans.

Once again, congratulations to your team on a well-earned victory and a tremendous season. Enjoy the Stanley Cup but don’t get too comfortable with it because the Canucks will be right there to try and take it away from you next year.

1 READERS COMMENTED

Stahl

June 16, 2011

I thought it was also a very nice & classy move that the Canucks arena crew were playing Dirty Water and some dropkick murphys during the celebration.
The fans at the building also gave a nice ovation for Lucic when he raised the cup.
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